The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-05-28

: " Lll6 lutN laO lnlpllcluN ODefeu every
command, and seemed to be perfectly sub
mlssiye. they had an idea of the robbers
object IN running them further south, and 50
| hey determined to try and escape, even if
| they were murdered for SO doing.
CHAPTER ~
THE ESCAPE
Tart of the roof at the rear of the hut
had succumbed to the weather and had fall
+ len II. As the darkies crawled up and stuck
/ their woody heads above the split boards
/ that covered the roof the sun was beginning
/ 10 tnge the tops of the trees In then
/ depths could dimly be seen the horses
| cropping the thin grass that grew among
! them.
| The plan they had decided upon was n
| bold one. and hardly seemed probable of
/ being a success; but nevertheless, death was
| preferable to the hard life in the cotton
| fields along the river, and as neither had
/ ever labored IN the fields it would have
/ been beyond their endurance to do so now.
| They were house servants in the Eddles
/ mansion, and their position was easy, and
| now their great hope was once more TO get
| back to whore they had been so kindly
| treated, and TO what was IN reality to them
| home.
| sylvia, who appeared to be the brayest of
| the two, took upon herself to do the more
| dangerous part. She told her companion
/ to be ready, and, when she saw that she
/ had secured the horses brides, to climb
out of the roof and let herself down and
/ crawl into the brush that grew near.
Don't yer make no noise, honey; eff yer
/ does Yer is gwiue ter be killed, shore"
/ After nus cautioning her. Sylvia took the
large nm pail and boldly opened the door
! ana walked out
! The men, half asleep, turned their faces
! tow ard her and one or two growled curses.
to which she replied by telling them to
/ shut their mOufs, and continued on
/ They saw she was alone. and had the yes
! sell and supposing she was going for water
/ they uunted and were soon asleep aga'l.
/ A. she passed through under the old shed
/ where the bushwhackers had deposited the
! saddles and brides the willy negCess
/ tumhled headlong to the ground. She only
/ remained there an instant, but when she
/ arose she had two of the brides in her pail
and the deception was so perfect that Nancy,
/ who WAS watching from the top Of the INT.
/ was no. sure she had secured the coveted
! ar;ic es and thought that the stumble was
4 only an accident If any of the gang saw
the act they must also have thought it only
! q luucrous accident
| Once near the spring and she was out of
sight Hastily hiding the pail she clutched
the BRIDES and, keeping out of sight in the
I brush, ran rapidly to the horses.
! ii the meantime Nancy had crawled out
! of the roof and let herself gently to the
ground IN the rear of the hut, and getting
down upon her hands rapidly crawIed into
4 the brush. A few moments only sufticed
to bring her to the spot where Sylvia and the
/ horses were. A few seconds more Were
consumed in bridling, and then the animals
were led out to where there vas no danger
/ of being seen, and were quickly mounted.
| Continuing in the woods they rapidly bore
away from the captors, and as they kept the
/ sun to heir backs it was only a short ride
! - the river, into which they plunged. Nh@n
they had reached the western bank great
/ hope OF escape took the place Of fear, and
the two urged their steeds on at a more
/ rapid pace. For a while they kept on the
rides, but it was not long before they be-
gan to see the folly of doing SO, and i'm
mediately changed to a diagonal course
across them. Although the travelling was
severe on the animals, 1t was their only
hope of eludlng pursuit. Up and down
the hils they continued to urge their jadad
animals, aud when evening came they had
I reached the divide and were soon on the
Wire Road again.
When they reached this old family land
mari, their hearts throbbed with thankful
ness, and they could barely refrain from
/ breaking out with wild shouts of Joy They
hat come into the road south of the Eddles
plant .tIun but with their knowledge of the
7 locution they were enabled to take the right
/ direct on, and after another hour of hard
riding the p antation gate was reached, ana
the cor. tired daIkies hearts nearly burst
with giadness when they again beheld the
BIZ house
.Tr Ri -. f1at b..
stones aroused the household and the ne
groes came from al parts of their quarters,
with fear o through curiosity. When the
fact that the two missing women had re-
turned became known the slaves seemed
almost beside themselves, and hysteTiCal
Iantemonia reigned for a time. Even the
white people could hardly contain them
Sc, es, and Lilies eyes were dim from Joy
when she saw her old mammies nurses
safe at home again.
There had been great CONSERVATION on
the plantation when it was discovered that
the females had disappeared and every
effort had been made t. ind some trace Of
them by making inquiries along the high
WAYS. but none could be found, and when
thee that had zen sent out returned
gloom settled ovei the people, for the miss
Iug slaves were fayorites at the mansion
and m the quarters.
ohm ordered the tired animals TO be
prop sTll cared for and the returned cap
tvs were ,aken into the diEIng-Ioom and
C..,l q lunch Of the best the house con-
tanned. After they had satisfied their hun
ger, -ohn had continued Questioning them,
but the only additional Information gained
was that which proved 70 d certainty that ii
Wa, the same gang Of rascals who had re-
Gently visited him hat had stolen the
slaves. He now began TO see the condition
the country was = and the necessity of
doing something; hut what could he do to
prev nj further deeds Of devltry by the
sam, OF any other, gang Of rufians?
Tie nj once decided upou one thing. and
thar wa~ to keep a night watch. so he called
Jet. ore of the most trUstv men servants.
aud aftar explaining the danger of uufaith-
in eS> and coWariiCe asked him if be
wou1 Willingly &C, as watchman during
IL, remainder OF the night.
Deed viii. Marse John an II perteck
de huI paniashn. Left um try fer ter
stts. sylvia or any udder niger of dis place
aE.u aud some IN i draP. Marse John,
where's the gum
JET was nearly wild when he heard of
SylSa dlsapT e3ranCe. for she was more
dear 70 him than anything else IN Arkansas,
and # he had known what 10 have done he
woUi5 have tired 10 rescue her. even if 1t
hal caused -Msrss John to lose one OF
his best hands, aud a darky funeral
Ohm brought out the old squirrel ritle
tbal bad often seen service on ana about
jl- F.anisuon, and when he handed the
,I-Hsad arm 20 7ef q broad grin OF pleas
mr. CvsgSpr5sd his cnuntouaRce ard ne
lo a. husEed 70 H. MS hraast as NJ ieil
=. house
.oaa rad hu. little faith in the darky's
cour4 e, but be knew he could trust HIN
Implicitly.